Split handle hair appliance with multiple attachments

ABSTRACT

A heated hair styling appliance ( 1 ) has a handle portion ( 2 ) that is adapted to be locked into a single handle configuration or released into a hinged, two-piece tong configuration. One or more hair styling attachments ( 11 ) may be attached to and used with the handle portion ( 2 ), the attachments being in the form of any one of a variety of conventional or customized hair styling devices such as flat irons, single barrel curling irons, spiral curling irons, multiple barrel curling irons and others.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hair styling appliances and, more particularly, to heated styling irons.

2. Description of Related Art

Various types of heated appliances for styling hair exist, such as flat irons, curling irons, and spiral curling irons. Certain curling irons are multi-function in that they comprise a round heated barrel that is split so that it can open into a flat iron of the type having two facing heat plates that can be opened apart or closed toward each other. Such multi-function devices are limited in choices of configuration and thus also in size and shape. These limits in turn limit performance and efficiency. No known heated hair styling appliances exist that provide relatively unlimited versatility and that are relatively unencumbered in performance and efficiency.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heated hair appliance that is configurable in potentially unlimited ways and thus delivers optimal results in versatility, performance and efficiency.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to the present invention, a heated hair styling appliance has a handle portion that is adapted to be locked into a single handle configuration or released into a hinged, two-piece tong configuration. One or more hair styling attachments may be attached to and used with the handle portion, the attachments being in the form of any one of a variety of conventional or customized hair styling devices such as flat irons, single barrel curling irons, spiral curling irons, multiple barrel curling irons and others.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a hair appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a first attachment attached.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a hair appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the first attachments detached.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a hair appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a second attachment detached.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a hair appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a second attachment attached.

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a third attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2D is a perspective view of a fourth attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2E is a perspective view of a fifth attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the first attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a rear view of the first attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the second attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a rear view of the second attachment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, a preferred embodiment of the invention for a heated hair appliance 1 includes a handle 2 comprising a first handle portion 3 and a second handle portion 4. The first and second portions 3, 4 include, respectively, a lower locking button 5 and an upper locking button 6. A hinge 8 connects the first handle portion 3 and the second handle portion 4 to each other in a pivotal manner. A cord socket 9 is provided for attaching a power cord 10 that is plugged into an external electrical source (not shown). The distal ends of the first and second portions 3,4 include, respectively, first pin receptacles 16 and second pin receptacles 17.

A hair straightener attachment 11 comprises a first paddle 12 and a second paddle 13, being provided with, respectively, a first heat plate 18 and a second heat plate 19. A first set of contact pins 14 is attached to the first paddle 12 is adapted to selectively engage the first pin receptacles 16, thereby forming an electrical connection to transmit electrical energy from the power cord 10 to conventional heating elements (not shown) beneath the surface of the first heat plate 18. A second set of contact pins 15 is attached to the second paddle 13 is adapted to selectively engage the second pin receptacles 17, thereby forming an electrical connection to transmit electrical energy from the power cord 10 to conventional heating elements (not shown) beneath the surface of the second heat plate 19. A control switch 7 is provided to activate or deactivate heating. As shown in FIG. 1A, when the paddles 12, 13 are attached to the handle 2 the device 1 resembles a conventional flat iron. As shown in FIG. 1B, the paddles 12, 13 can be removed from the handle 2 by manipulating the locking buttons 5,6 and pulling them from the handle to separate the pins 14, 15 from the receptacles 16, 17.

A spiral iron attachment 20 is shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, having a round barrel 21 and a raised helical ridge 22. A pivotally mounted spoon 23 having a hair engaging portion 24 and a thumb contact portion 25 for moving the spoon 23 relative to the barrel 21 is provided. Contact pins 26 are provided for selectively engaging the pin receptacles 16, 17 to attach or detach the spiral attachment 20 from the handle 2. The spiral attachment 20 is electrically heated as described above with respect to the straightener attachment 11.

A dual tong attachment 27 having two heatable barrels 28, 29 is illustrated in FIG. 2C and is adapted to be selectively and operably attached to the handle 2 via contact pins 30 in a manner such as described with respect to the straightener attachment 11.

A curling iron attachment 31 having a heatable barrel 32 and spoon 33 with thumb engaging portion 34 is illustrated in FIG. 2D and is adapted to be selectively and operably attached to the handle 2 via contact pins 35 in a manner such as described with respect to the straightener attachment 11.

A brush attachment having bristles 37 extending from a barrel 38 is illustrated in FIG. 2E and is adapted to be selectively and operably attached to the handle.

The contact pins 14, 15 and pin receptacles 16, 17 of the straightener attachment 11 are shown in additional views in FIGS. 3A-3B. There are a total of four pins and four receptacles.

The contact pins 26, 39 and pin receptacles 40, 41 of the spiral attachment 20 are shown in additional views in FIGS. 4A-4B. There are a total of two pins and two receptacles.

While the preferred embodiment has been disclosed, various modification can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. An electrically powered hair styling appliance adapted to selectively deliver heat to one or more surfaces for styling hair, said appliance comprising a handle having two generally elongated handle sections, each handle section having a proximal end and a distal end, said handle sections being pivotally joined at their respective proximal ends by a hinge so that the two sections may be opened and closed with respect to each other; an electrically conductive connector assembly on the distal end of each handle section; and at least one hair styling attachment, said attachment having an electrically conductive coupling assembly for selectively attaching to and detaching from at least one of said connector assemblies in an electrically conductive manner.
 2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one hair styling attachment comprises a single attachment having a coupling assembly that engages the connector assemblies of both handle sections simultaneously, whereby said handle sections are prevented from pivoting to an opened position with respect to each other while said attachment is engaged with said connector assemblies.
 3. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one hair styling attachment comprises two attachments, each of said two attachments having a coupling assembly that engages a respective one of the connector assemblies independently, whereby said handle sections are able to be pivoted to an opened position with respect to each other while said attachments are engaged with said respective connector assemblies.
 4. An appliance according to claim 2, wherein said attachment comprises an elongated barrel adapted to be heated and used to style hair.
 5. An appliance according to claim 2, wherein said attachment comprises a pair of elongated barrels adapted to be heated and used to style hair.
 6. An appliance according to claim 3, wherein each of said attachments comprises a generally paddle-shaped head having a heatable surface thereon and being adapted to be heated and used to style hair.
 7. An electrically powered hair styling appliance adapted to selectively deliver heat to one or more surfaces for styling hair, said appliance comprising a handle having two generally elongated handle sections, each handle section having a proximal end and a distal end, said handle sections being pivotally joined at their respective proximal ends by a hinge so that the two sections may be opened and closed with respect to each other; an electrically conductive connector assembly on the distal end of each handle section; and at least one hair styling attachment, said attachment having an electrically conductive coupling assembly for selectively attaching to and detaching from at least one of said connector assemblies in an electrically conductive manner; and a plurality of attachments comprising an elongated barrel adapted to be heated and used to style hair, a pair of elongated barrels adapted to be heated and used to style hair, and a pair of generally paddle-shaped heads each having a heatable surface thereon and being adapted to be heated and used to style hair, wherein each of said attachments is adapted to be connected to one or both handle portions.
 8. An appliance according to claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of hair styling attachments comprises either: a coupling assembly that engages the connector assemblies of both handle sections simultaneously, whereby said handle sections are prevented from pivoting to an opened position with respect to each other while said respective attachment is engaged with said connector assemblies; or a coupling assembly that engages a respective one of the connector assemblies independently, whereby said handle sections are able to be pivoted to an opened position with respect to each other while one of said respective attachments are engaged with a respective one of said respective connector assemblies at the same time. 